AN ADDRESS 

DELIVERED BY 

/ 

KEY. J. C. I^EED, 



OF 



STRANGE CHAPEL, 

INDIANAPOLIS. 




AN ADDRESS 



DELIVERED BY 



REY. J. C. REED, 



STRANGE CHAPEL, 






IXDIAXAPOLIS, 



BEFOBE THE 



INDIANA SANITARY CONYENTION, 



MARCH 2p, 1864. 




INDIANAPOLIS: 

WM. S. C'AMEKON, BOOK AND JOB PRINTKB, 

1864. 



tl-^, i' 



e: 



"V 



i 



AN ADDRESS. 



Mr. President^ Ladies and Gentlemen: 

You will cordially unite with mo in saying that, from 
the reports of the president, agents and treasurer, the 
Indiana Sanitary Commission appeals to your patriotism. 

Love of country, in all the world's philosophies and 
religions, is recognized a virtue. The amor patrice pre- 
vailed among the nations of antiquity, especially in their 
palmy days. The prosperity of Babylon, Greece, Egypt 
and Rome ran parallel with their patriotism; losing this, 
they quickly degenerated, and Ichabod was written on 
their hitherto bright escutcheons. Love of country is 
essential to a nation's existence; it is the national heart 
that sends the life blood galloping through every ramifi- 
cation of the body politic. Weak nations die of palpita- 
tion of the heart; tj^rannical ones of ossification, and 
strong ones of plethora, or want of arterial and venous 
circulation. We are in no danger from the first; we are 
constitutionally organized against the second, and we are 
resolved that no ambitious few shall monopolize to them- 
selves our rich and exhaustless fountains of national life; 
but that the currents shall be kept open through which 
shall be communicated its vitalizing streams to the hum- 
blest and lowliest dwellers in this land. 

We have more to love in this country than any other 
people under Heaven. The Great Creator, in making it, 
has given us some of the most wondrous exhibitions of 
wisdom, power and goodness. Where else upon our 
planet are blended together such grand old forests, wide- 
spreading prairies, majestic rivers, fertile plains, romantic 



4 

mountains, wealthy mines, quiet lakes, dashing cataracts 
and sunny skies? Men love the picturesque, the suhlime, 
the beautiful and the magnificent. Just such a panorama 
is presented to our view by the Infinite Artificer in the 
arrangement of our country's natural scenery. So fair, 
80 rich and so large a land the sun nowhere else beholds 
on his journey. God seems to have hidden it from former 
generations in the midst of oceans, lakes, and gulfs, that 
he might build up in these latter days, out of the choicest 
specimens of mixed peoples, a nation of christian freemen. 
Men also love justice, benevolence and freedom. — 
These are harmoniously blended in our government. In 
the monarchies of the old world justice is ignored, benev- 
olence repudiated, and freedom is bound in chains. Aye, 
more than this, fearful that she may break her forged fet- 
ters and go forth to sway her magic sceptre over the minds 
of the masses, she is imprisoned in dungeons and bastiles, 
and every avenue of escape is vigilantly guarded by a 
well armed soldiery. But in this "land of the free and 
home of the brave," justice presides in her temples, and, 
with unquestionable prerogative, makes no distinction 
between the lofty and the lowly ; benevolence with queenly 
grace bestows her gifts on all worthy objects alike, and 
freedom flings her banner to the breeze, and calls around 
her, from every class and rank, her loyal followers. 

It is not to be wondered at that our government should 
be loved with an ardor of enthusiasm that knows no prece- 
dent. For once in the history of the world, a govern- 
ment has been instituted that is the poor man's friend. — 
Those of the old world are made exclusively for the patri- 
cian few ; ours, for the patrician few and plebeian many, 
alike. Old world governments inquire, "Has he rank? 
has he blood? has he title? has he money?" Ours asks, 
"Has he a mind, a heart, a soul? Is he a man?" To 
every man, however humble, it becomes patron and pro- 
tector. It opens highways to the poor man's cottage and 
to the orphan's homeless solitude, holds up to their 
view its glittering prizes of honor, and, with a beseeching 
smile, says, " Come, possess and wear them." No won- 
der, then, that Americans should become proverbial for pat- 
I'iotism. No wonder that they should make such hercu- 
lean eftbrts, evince such indomitable courage, and endure 
such fearful sacrifices that they may preserve this country 
intact. We have more to love in our country and its 
institutions than all the peoples of the old world put 



5 

together. Theirs is an unrequited love. Who ever heard 
of a monarchy bestowing affection upon its sweating, 
groaning, stilled masses. Ours reciprocates the love of 
its lo^^al sons and daughters. We do not woo and court 
in vain; every true heart is compensated for its affection- 
ate longings. ' ISTo pent up Utica can control a genuine 
American's patriotism. It is one that embraces the whole 
country, from ocean to ocean, and from the lakes to the 
gulf; that extends from Aroostook pine forests to Flo- 
ridian reefs, and from Palmettodom to San Francisco's 
Golden Gate. To maintain this country as our forefath- 
ers gave it to us, 

" Distinct like the billows, and one like the sea," 
our soldiers are now fighting. For this they are endur- 
ing all the untold sufferings, perils and hardships of mil- 
itary life. The very existence of this beneficent govern- 
ment now depends upon armed men. With bayonet and 
bullet they hold at bay the traitorous fiends who come 
with burning torches to fire the fair temple of liberty, 
and leave it in smouldering ruins. These defenders of 
our country are our brothers and husbands, our fathers 
and sons. The Indiana Sanitary Commission is aiding, 
comforting and strengthening them in the work. This is 
its specific purpose. Will you, then, help the Commis- 
sion? You will if you are a patriot. If love of country 
burns upon the altar of your heart, you will not wait to 
be urged — you will be glad of this opportunity to do 
something to hurl treason back to its native hell, and help 
freedom forward in its march of grandeur round the 
world. 

The Sanitary Commission also appeals to your love of 
liberty. 

Our present struggle is between liberty and slavery. It 
is an old conflict, commenced in the morning of time, 
renewed all along the pathway of the ages, and is still 
burdening the air with the shouts of the contending leg- 
ions and the groans of suffering humanity. Freedom has 
linked her fortunes with the Stars and Stripes, and slavery 
rallies its dupes and minions around a banner which bears 
the strange device of serpents intermingling with stars 
and bars. Is this the fullfilment of the apocalyptic proph- 
ec}'', whose symbolic dragon drew down with his tail one- 
third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth ? 
Be this as it may, the contest is going fiercely on, and our 
land is the bloody theatre of action. Those who love slav- 



ery are helping the dragon do his worst with his caudal ap- 
pendage, and my slavery sympathizing friend, with traitor- 
ous tendencies, is welcome to all the honor he can gain by 
trying to brush down stars from the national firmament 
with such an ungainly instrument. On the other hand, 
those who love liberty, are rallying by the million around 
the old national banner, shouting the battle-cry of free- 
dom, and as they bear it onward against the serried hosts 
of oppression, millions of congenial loyal hearts shout till 
the Avelkin rings again : 

" Forever float that standard sheet, 
Where breathes the foe, but falls before us, 
With freedom's soil beneath our feet, 

■ And freedom's banner floating o'er us." 

The issue of the conflict is found in the words of reve- 
lation : " And I saw an angel come down from heaven 
having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in 
his hand, and he laid hold on the dragon, that old ser- 
pent, which is the devil and satan, and bound him a thou- 
sand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut 
him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive 
the nations no more ." We are, then, stimulated to ear- 
nest endeavor, for the precedents of the past, the facts 
of the present, and the prophecies for the future, all com- 
bine to declare tliat the 

" Banners of freedom in triumph shall wave 
O'er a world where no rod of oppression shall punish the slave. ' 

Freedom is the universal birthright ot humanity. It 
is a part of the original image with which divinity stamp- 
ed our race. It has been effaced, and, in many instances, 
lost, by sin. The gospel of the world's Redeemer propo- 
ses to restore it upon all human hearts in all lands ; and 
vain are the pun^^ efforts of men and devils to retard this 
glorious work. The power upon the throne is omnipotent, 
and the fiat of the Infi nite has gone forth that the op- 
pressed shall go free. Tyrants, oppressors, and rebels may 
meet in unholy conclave, and resolve, legislate, and fight 
against it, but as well might a community of ants resolve 
to overturn the rock-ribbed AUeghanies, or stay the down- 
rushing torrent of Magara. 

Freedom is rearing amid the desolations of oppression 
a mountain of pure gold, whose base shall yet cover crea- 
tion, and whose apex shall fiash in the light of immortality. 
Slavery propagandists of the South, assisted by their cow- 
ardly allies of the North, have lighted the baleful fires of 



war to burn down this mountain. He would be wiser 
who would attempt to ignite tlie Mississippi witli a lucifer 
matcli, or blow up Niagara's rocky ramparts with a tor- 
pedo. 

If we would increase our national ] )Ower, we must de- 
velop the germ idea, tlie ^eed thougJU of American govern- 
ment, which was enunciated by our fathers in the Dec- 
laration of Independence. If we would raise the nation 
up to the ascending plane of true progress, we must strike 
off the fetters, and knock loose the manacles. If the 
teamster has a heavy load to pull up hill, he wants every 
ox to bear heavily in the yoke. AVe, as a nation have, a 
heavy load. The hill we ascend is a mountain ; its sides 
are precipitous ; the road is unbroken, and its crest is up 
towards the heavens. Let every son and daughter of hu- 
manity, of whatever color, be unbound as quickly as pru- 
dence will permit, from the old car of slavery, and hitch- 
ed to freedom's lengthening trai]i; and if any weak stom- 
ached Anglo-Saxon has unpleasant sensations about the 
olfactories, let him pull ahead out of the way, or relieve 
himself by a regular drill at sneezing. If you love liberty, 
love God, and love humanity, jow will do your part. The 
Sanitary Commission ofters you who are at home an op- 
portunity to bear a hand. It says, --Help me and I'll hel}) 
the soldiers, who are in the field, striking 

'For our altars and our fires, God, and oiir native land.' " 
If you would gain laurels in this conflict, 3'ou must iict 
quickly ; for even now this revolutionizing earthquake, 
which the rebels themselves have brought about, is rock- 
ing the crazy old dungeons of slavery to ruin ; and from the 
rubbish God is evoking pillars of strength, blocks of beau- 
ty and living stones, to build up and adorn the magniii- 
cent temple of liberty. 

Again, the Sanitary Commission appeals to our State 
■pride. Hoosier was once a synonym of verdancy, ignor- 
ance, and dont-careativeness. He was considerd as being 
born to an inheritance of pumpkins, green corn, hominy, 
and wild meat, for dietetic purposes, and mosquetoes, rat- 
tlesnakes and the ^'shaki?i agcr" for companions. Mature 
was his text book, and all out of door his school house, 
without a scientihc teacher to enable him to find " ser- 
mons in stones, books in running brooks and truth in every- 
thing." His home was a rude cabin; his hearth stone, 
clay cats ; his upholstery, deerskins ; his cabinet ware, log 
puncheons ; his queensware grew on gourd vines ; his 



8 

mirror was the water that reflected his original self from 
pools and ponds; his music was impro^d^ed in nature's or- 
chestra, with birds, beasts and thunder storms for per- 
formers; and the little Hoosieroons were rocked to a 
state of somnolency in a sugar trough. Socially, he cared 
but little for the conventionalities of modern etiquette. — 
lie loved the abandon of social life freed from the strait- 
jacket of prudish propriety. Religiously, he left the 
arguments a priori and a posteriori to pugilistic, and pedan- 
tic divines. lie puzzled not his brain in trying to split 
theological hairs " between the west and north-west side," 
but loved a religion which was in theory simple, in expe- 
rience joyful, in practice according to the golden rule. — 
In politics, he built upon the old foundation laid by the 
fathers of the republic, using the gold, silver and 
precious stones of liberty, fraternity and equality, and 
refusing the wood, hay and stubble' of slavery, secession 
and aristocracy. The hero of E'ew Orleans was a favo- 
rite leader; and it has been asserted, by way of ridicule, 
that so ardent was the attachment, that the Hoosiers per- 
sisted in giving their votes to him long after he was in 
the grave. In these days Indianians have a more intel- 
ligent way of showing their appreciation of the inflexible 
patriotism of the immortal hero. It will be rememberd 
that when South Carolina, under Calhoun, took the first 
fit of nullification heroics, that Gen. Jackson uttered the 
noble sentiment, " The Union must and shall be preserv- 
ed." For the maintenance of this sentiment the people 
of our State have poured out their blood like water; they 
are fighting for it now, and will continue the struggle un- 
til it shall he engraven on the banner of every rebel State 
from Virginia to Texas. 

AVhatever may have been the peculiar characteristics of 
Indianians in years gone by, it is a question settled be- 
yond all peradventure, that the people of no State have 
made a more glorious record in this war for freedom, than 
have they. The obloquy with which that prince of trait- 
ors attempted to tarnish our State escutcheon has been 
removed a thousand times ; and Hoosier now has become 
the synonym of heroic daring, gallant bravery, and mag- 
nanimous sacrifice for the right. They have become the 
wheel horses of the war — the thundering legions of free- 
dom's martial hosts — the chosen body-guard of the genius 
of liberty. 

Are the bristling heights of Fredericksburg to be stormed 



— where are the Indianians? Are the proud plumes of 
Stonewall Jackson to be brought down to the dust on 
Winchester's bloody battle-fiekl — where is Gen, Kimball 
and his Iloosier boys? Is the rear of McClellan's army 
to be protected in its retreat from Richmond from infuri- 
ate rebels rushing on, doubly intoxicated with whisky and 
success — call out the 20th Indiana? Are the bastions and 
forts that environ Vicksburg to be stormed — the com- 
mand is, " Indianians, charge /" At Antietam, Gettj^sburg, 
Stone River, Chicamauga, Lookout Mountain, Mission. 
Ridge and scores of other l)attle-fields they have contest- 
ed successfully for the championship of valor. And now 
that Gen. Sherman is disembowelling the gaunt remains 
of the starved carcass of rebeldom, they share in the dir- 
ty, yet daring, work. 

These veterans, after having l)orne the burden in the 
heat of the day, perform tlieir crowning act of heroism 
by re-enlisting for the war. Said one to me, "If this war 
lasts forty years, I intend to help fight it through." He 
is the representative of thousands. Some of these veter- 
ans transcend Spartan valor, Roman courage, and even 
Revolutionary endurance and determination. A soldier 
of the 29tli Indiana, with whom I am personally acquaint- 
ed, was wounded in the head at the battle of Chicamau- 
ga. He was taken to the hospital, where, after suffering 
several weeks, he, to all appearances, died. He was laid 
out for burial and taken to the dead house. Although 
there were no manifest signs of life, he was painfully con- 
scious of all that was transpiring around him. On the 
second day, a surgeon, in company with a major, was pass- 
ing through the dead house, examining the corpses. — 
Coming to this young man, he remarked, "I don't believe 
he's dead." "Yes," said the major, "he's done for." — 
The young man heard every word of the conversation. 
The surgeon examined him more critically, had him car- 
ried to the hospital, and, by special attention, succeeded in 
restoring him to health. I met this young man a few 
days since, and he told me, with his own lips, that he had 
re-enlisted for the war. So these veterans come ; not only 
from the Rapidan, from Knoxville, from Chattanooga, 
and from the various points of our long extended front, 
to re-enlist, but they also come from the very territories 
of the dead. Should we not be proud of such soldiers? 
And should we not emulate their noble example of love 
to the country, hj pouring into the lap of the Sanitary 



10 

Commissi on such a profusion of stores as will enable it to 
anticipate and meet their every want? It appears to me 
that such gallant heroes ought to be carried on the arms 
of home patriots, placed on the very throne of our affeo- 
tions, and be coronetted by the hands of beauty with a 
diadem of glory. 

We honor our brave soldiery; and we have statesmen, 
also, of whom we delight to speak. Do you see that star, 
the third in official magnitude in our national galaxy? — 
It has the place of honor in the constellation that com- 
poses the popular branch of the national Congress. That 
star represents a man from our own State, who, by enter- 
prising industry and earnest devotion to the right, has 
worked his way up from the humble walks of life to this 
proud pre-eminence. He is there, an honorable man, 
without having resorted to political gambling or partisan 
stock-jobbing. He is there, too, without unholy coalition 
with whiskey, brandy, wine or ale, having banished them 
from their hitherto strong entrenchments, about the House 
of Representatives. He is there upon the distinctive ba- 
sis of his own merits. We honor the head and heart, the 
patriotism and virtue, of Schuyler Colfax. 

We have another, whose far-reaching sagacity, wise 
counsels, energy of character, and executive ability, that 
adapts itself to the exigencies of these troublous times, 
lias made his name a tower of strength. The Commis- 
sion is indebted to him for many of its most marked fea- 
tures of usefulness, and has rejoiced in his patronage from 
its inception until now. But the name of Gov. Morton 
is written as with a pen of iron and point of diamond on 
the historic rolls of fame, and no feeble words of mine 
will add to its lustre. 

There are, also, names interwoven with the Indiana 
Sanitary Commission 

"That were not born to die." 
Such are Hannaman, Lozier, Atkinson, Harrison — and the 
list might be extended indefinitely. 

I should not do justice to this part of my subject if I 
should fail to speak in terms of commendation of the kind 
acts and sweet charities of the ladies of Indiana. 

The Commission has made special efforts to secure the 
co-operation of the patriotic women of the State. In this 
it has been eminently successful. One hundred and fifty 
ladies have been employed as nurses, who have, in a 
thousand ways, dispensed their kind attentions and gen- 



11 

tie ministrations to ameliorate the manifold sorrows of 
military life. These benevolent actions liave been per- 
formed silently and noiselessly, like the droppings of the 
gentle rain, or the distillations of the silent dew, on parch- 
ed herbage and Hower. The experience of the world 
shows that woman is endowed by nature with qualities 
that eminently fit her for works of kindness and charity. 

We are under a lasting debt of gratitude to the patri- 
otic matrons and maidens of the Revolution for the im- 
portant part they performed in that struggle for lib- 
erty. Had not our fathers l)een encouraged by these no- 
ble heroines, we might to-day have been paying tribute 
to the British crown. The reward is, that our free insti- 
tutions have become the palladium of woman's intellect- 
ual, religious and social rights. In the monarchies of the 
old world she is frequently no more than a menial slave, 
subject to the whims and caprices of tyrannical masters.- 
In ancient Egypt, wliile men reposed in the morning sun 
of science, and drank exhilarating draughts from the foun- 
tains of literature, woman, with the beasts, bore the bur- 
dens and drew the plow through the rich valleys of the 
Mle. If the soulless gods that managed the government 
of that country had smiles, they w^ere not for woman. In 
China she is excluded from the public walks of useful- 
ness, imprisoned in the gloomy dungeon of false senti- 
ment, and languishes like a drooping flower in the shade 
of neglect. The iron shoe that painfully binds her foot 
in its diminutive proportions is emblematic of the inflex- 
ible bands of a false government, that forbids the expan- 
sion of her charitable and sympathetic nature. In Hin- 
dostan the foantain of her maternal aftections is so frozen 
by oppression that she consigns her tender babe to the 
wild waters of the Ganges, and, while its piteous cry rolls 
out on the trembling air, she contemplates the scene as 
emotionless as the dumb earth on which she stands. 

But the genius of American government comes as a 
messenger of mercy and an angel of strength to her re- 
lief. It presents her with the magna charta of her rights ; 
clothes her with the beautiful habiliments of virtue, in- 
telligence and charity; and gives her to man, an object 
worthy of his respect and aftection, and his superior in a 
potent influence to do good. She has more faith, more pa- 
tience, more perseverance, to labor amid the scenes of 
sorrow and distress. The women of our State have made 
a glorious record in this war. After having given the ob- 



12 

jecta of their hearts' best affections to the service of the 
country, tliey liave, with their own hands, fashioned the 
garments and prepared the fruits, delicacies and vegeta- 
bles that compose, by far, the largest portion of the stores 
of the Commission. The benedictions of our gallant sol- 
iers have been showered upon them in rich profusion 
for these well timed acts of kindness. So long as our 
ladies manifest this spirit, our country is safe. For 
it is true, that 'Hhey luho rock the cradle rule the 
worlds Although regarded in common parlance as 
the weaker vessel, woman has always led in the des- 
tiny of our race. It was so when our common moth- 
er plucked and ate the forbidden fruit, and then gave 
to her companion. It was so when she presented human- 
ity with the redeeming Savior, who, as the Sun of Right- 
eousness, casts radiant hght for every human soul upon 
the pathway that leads to a blissful immortality. And 
now, so long as her fair hands hold up and unfurl free- 
dom's starry banner, the sterner sex will follow, though 
it be ihYowgh. floods, flames and death. 
But as there are spots on the sun's disc, and useless peb- 
bles in gold leads, so there are blotches of semi-treason on 
our body politic. In the Hower garden of our patriotism 
the serpent's trail is found. Judges turn legal pharmaceu- 
tists for the purpose of compounding a little judicial pap 
to arrest the alarming symptoms of the dying monster of 
rebellion ; editors of newspapers howl dirges, in dolorous 
strains, over the dissohdng views presented by the rebel 
confederacy : and politicians, 

" Dressed in a little brief authoritj^, 
Play such fantastic tricks before high Heaven 
As make the angels weep." 

These, with their train of followers, which is "growing 
small by degrees, and beautifully less," have no word of 
sympathy for freedom's cause, but, by their chronic com- 
plaints, keep up an everlasting friction, which, much to 
their disgust, only serves to stimulate the hearts, and 
polish the armor, of the loyal. I would that such were 
only imaginary characters; but every day we are com- 
pelled to hear their lugubrious complaints against the 
management of the government, the distribution of the 
sanitary stores, and every measure that proposes to put 
rebellion on the rack and freedom on the throne. One is 
puzzled to know what disposition should be made of these 
persistent croakers, and incurable malcontents. It is a cus- 



torn among some parents, whose iusubordiuate eons defy 
all efforts to bring them under the wholesome restraints 
of family government, as a last resort, to place them on 
board a whaler, where they are ccjmpelled to undergo a 
stern, but beneficial, discipline that necessarily improves 
them for the time being. The application is easy. Let 
these iusubordinates and complainers set sail fornorthern 
seas, where whales in plenty do abound. 

"Let them take their poles of sturdy oak, 
And their lines of cable that can't be broke, 
And bait their hooks with their doleful tales, 
And sijt on the rocks and bob for whales." 

Whatever may bo the course or destiny of others, it 
remains for us, who love the right, to arm oui'selves more 
fully for the conflict. If we would raise humanity higher, 
we must repudiate oppression, and heartily hate every 
false way. It is ours to work with hands, head, heart 
and means, and with firm faith move 

■'Onward while a wrong remains 
To be conquerd by the right, 
While oppression lifts a finger 
To affront us by his might." 
Let US combine to keep our State in the front ranks of 
freedom. Let us make this commission more than ever 
a dispenser of good tilings to those who are confronting 
armed treason, and meeting like heroes 
•' War's magnificently stern array." 
There is hope for the future. Our country and the world 
is moving on. The great mind and heart of humanity 
has caught the charm of hallowed freedom. Worthy 
and toilVorn laborers fall ever and anon in the conflict, 
and we weep their loss, but we will dash away the tears 
that blind us, and struggle and labor on. There is inspi- 
ration and immortality i"n the name of Liberty. Fair fin- 
ny-ers have beautifully wrought it on our national banner 
— We will follow it upward till, in triumph unfurled. 
It waves in its glory o'er a disenthralled world, — 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 



013 787 345 n ^ 



